The present invention relates to a cigarette packing machine.
Known cigarette packing machines, such as the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,707,219, comprise a conveyor for step feeding a number of forming and conveying pockets along a path extending parallel to a number of hopper outlets. At each stop of the conveyor, a reciprocating pusher extracts one or more layers of cigarettes from each outlet of the hopper into a respective pocket arrested in front of the hopper; which operation may be repeated at successive stops of the conveyor until a complete group of cigarettes defining the content of a packet is formed inside each pocket.
At a transfer station, the complete groups are extracted successively from the conveyor pockets onto a step-operated or continuous wrapping unit.
Though perfectly functional, group-forming units of the type described above have the drawback of being unable to operate at relatively high speed, on account of intermittent operation of the conveyor, and the difficulty posed in connecting the unit to a continuous wrapping unit. Moreover, such forming units also have a relatively high noise level.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a cigarette packing machine designed to eliminate the aforementioned drawbacks, and which, in particular, is straightforward mechanically.
According to the present invention, there is provided a cigarette packing machine comprising a conveyor having at least one pocket for forming and conveying a respective group of cigarettes; the machine being characterized in that said conveyor comprises a fixed guide; at least one carriage running along said guide and supporting said pocket; and a linear electric motor having a stator or primary located along at least a portion of the guide, and a cursor or secondary carried by said carriage.